Bells and Butterflies
by Quarantine.Wings
Summary: Chitose deals with the burden of having twins for siblings. Only, she doesn't know everything that it entails. Mutsuki has disappeared and Itsuki refuses to say anything. Follow Chitose's thoughts and actions and learn a bit more about her from even before the ritual, to the nightmares that plague the village and the after events when Mio and Mayu show up in this Hell-ridden place.
1. Introduction

Hello! This is my first fatal frame fanfiction, ( and fanficton in general ) _ It took a looooot of nerve for me to finally post this but I would love, love, love reviews! And please tell me how you like this introduction! It's going to be a series of main points throughout Chitose's life that aren't covered in the game but are mentioned and such. So yeah, bam. I know it's short, my intros usually are! D8

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One day- Not even one day.  
It took not even one day to ruin her short life.  
It took not one day for this village to fall to such ruin, and it took not one day for her brother to fall for someone she would end up hating.

Yet she couldn't comprehend this situation or understand it. All she knew now was that her brothers, both of them, had gone away from her.  
"Yae...give him back!" She cried into the air, her lungs hoarse from shouting out the name she so hated.

She remembered that day all to well, she always would no matter how much time could possibly pass. The anguish falling in on her, leaving her tiny form shaking and sobbing. Even here in the after events when she had passed on. It suffocated her being, leaving her a restless spirit. If- No, _when_ she died, she thought it would end. That horrible darkness that enclosed her mind. That wasn't the case at all.

Her red-rimmed eyes sought a source to take this emotion consuming her, to blame _something_. Her mind filled with the face of the girl this surrounded; Yae. It was always Yae that came to the little one's thoughts, and each time she thought of the brown-haired girl her anger rose. She caused this. It was all her fault. "Itsuki..." Chitose mumbled as the darkness swirled around and danced to the sounds of her cries, the cupboard darkening further.

Chitose dug at her arms desperately, the thoughts spinning in her mind and giving not sign of leaving. Pieces of flesh tore away from where sharp nails had dug, red marks decorating random places. Even so it held no pain for her for she was dead. All she could do was sit in this cupboard and scream, voices filling her mind until she fell away into scream filled darkness that held nothing but laughter, blood and the sounds of bells.

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Bam, here it is. Hope ya'll like it!


	2. Blind

Annnd here is the second chapter! I'm pretty sure I've gotten every detail correct, and if not please fix me! I hope the characters aren't too OOC either. I don't know when it is they would see Chitose, or if they could did see her beforehand. Buuut hopefully this isn't too confusing. I did flashbacks from Chitose's point of few, if any of you get confused please tell me!

B.B. Wolf123 – Oh thank you! I know it's short, but I plan on everything else being longer! I'm glad you like it so far though!

* * *

Blindness

She didn't know when it happened or why it became, but Chitose had been dubbed as having very poor eyesight. Her innocent eyes squinted at a candle across the room, barely able to make out the blurry shadows. She knew, but she refused to acknowledge having terrible eyesight. Instead she blamed the village and how it lacked candles. Only her brothers were aware of how blind she really was.

_Two young men stepped through the door, causing Chitose to jumped up, her body so accustomed to her fleeing pattern that it nearly moved to its own accord. She would have been in the closet already had it not been for the injury decorating her left leg._

_Her heart rocketed in her chest, knowing already the two who had entered were her brothers, but there was barely any relief. She didn't understand the way she reacted to people she didn't know. A heavy feeling pressed in her chest at the mere thought, her lungs constricting and panic taking her mind. Not to say she hated people, it was just so hard to find courage to talk to them. Being so unsocial was something her brothers chided her for it, Itsuki especially, but she was grateful they didn't force her into it like some other villagers tried to do. That is, when they were able to catch her before she reached the closet. She shuddered, remembering the incident with the Kiryuu twins._

_"Chitose," A gentle voice called her name, gazing with worry at her. Itsuki and Mutsuki stood by with soft expressions, her twin brothers moving to either side of her as she sat and cried. Her eyes were red and sore, and she had one leg tucked under her, the crimson kimono she wore bunched up to reveal the leg with the injury. It was merely a bruise from falling, but it still frightened her. Mutsuki stroked her hair gently to calm her while Itsuki went over it to make sure nothing too serious had happened. _

_"We told you to not stray so close to certain areas of the house. They can be quite dangerous."_

_His voice was stern but gentle, and she sobbed in response. "I'm sorry! I-I didn't see- Someone tripped me! I'm sorry!" She sniffled and hiccupped, rubbing at her eyes with the back of her hands. She didn't see the worried look on both their faces when she mentioned someone tripping her. _

_Only silence followed, both the elder twins giving their youngest and only sister time to recompose herself. Her eyes sought out comfort from them both, Itsuki especially. She was undeniably close to both her brothers and so attuned to their voices she could pick them out in a crowd._

She smiled to herself, remembering that was the same day Itsuki had given her the present. The bracelet decorated her pale wrist, the crimson standing out against her flesh. The golden bells on it rang slightly when she moved, and she held the present close to her as she remembered when Itsuki had given it to her.

"_It's alright Chitose." he murmured to his sister calmly, a ringing sound started filling the air. More rings followed, flowing over the air. Chitose hesitated a moment, thinking she was hearing things and squinted slightly, her face scrunched in confusion before realizing it came from Itsuki. He looked a bit too smug, pulling a hand from behind his back and opening it to reveal a small red circle with two wonderfully gold items attached. Without a word he took her hand and placed it around her wrist. _

_Three circles looped around her small wrist, a beautiful crimson color with two bells attached to it. Curious she examined the item, her bruised leg forgotten and sat in a kneeling position, her eyes lighting up at the fact that she had just received a present. It was not an extravagant gift, but it was still lovely in its own right, and any gifts from her brothers were wonderful. She found herself entranced and smiled, even more when she noticed that Itsuki had made it to match her kimono._

_"I know your eyesight isn't very good Chitose," Itsuki began. _

_She made a face, about to argue about her eyesight but he continued before she could. "If you ever need help, just ring these bells and I'll come find you."_

_She stared at her newest accessory and prodded it with a single finger, a lovely chime emitting from it in response. _

_She grinned broadly and shook her arm. The bell sang louder and she couldn't resist a giggle, which caused a smile from the older twins as well. _

"_Itsuki, I love it! Thank you!"_

_She ran up and wrapped her small arms around Itsuki's waist, clinging onto him then ran over to Mutsuki, who was now sitting on the floor and hugged him around the neck. Acting so impulsive, even for her age, would be looked down at if it were anyone else. The village could be very high bent on appearance. _

_Her brothers understood her behavior and gladly accepted it. They were the only two she could completely be herself around. She was too happy and preoccupied with the bell to notice the grim expression on Mutsuki's face and how Itsuki hesitated._

That day stayed in her mind constantly, replaying everything again and again. It was the last time she had seen Mutsuki. She had been told he left, went on an adventure, went to find more excitement…It was always something different. Itsuki was very flighty on it, never giving too much information and often withdrew into himself. He changed in such a short amount of time, and had become so pale. The memories kept flooding her, tears falling from her eyes as she sniffed.

_Mitsuki went to Itsuki's side, the slow pace he drifted along enough to catch the young girl's attention. She frowned at them and pouted, knowing they were planning to leave soon._

_Itsuki smiled lightly and went to her, Mutsuki standing further away. He was acting so strange, so careful. He was always a bit more reserved but he seemed…off. Before she could question them she was face-to-face with her Itsuki, who was stooping down to meet her at eye level. Something stirred in his eyes as he looked at her, seeing the slightest hints of sadness swirling through his eyes._

"_We have to go for a while Chitose." He placed a gentle hand on her head, smiling. "The Kurosawa house- We- we have to help them with something. It's very important. " He looked sad when saying the last sentence, smiling though it didn't touch his eyes. "We won't be back for a while, but there'll be people coming to check up on you." _

_Her expression turned just the slightest bit sour. "You're going to see Sae and Yae," She accused glumly, jealous of how much attention the girls had been getting from them lately. They weren't bad; she just didn't want anyone taking the two people she loved away. They were her only interactions, the only ones who helped her and that she could completely trust. _

_Itsuki smiled lightly, noticing the way he was blocking her view of Mutsuki and took the hand he had placed his gift._

"_Don't worry; I'll always be here for you." _

_Chitose could sense the wavering in his voice, how he carefully chose words. Itsuki never lied to her. She knew this. She couldn't help the feeling that he was keeping something from her though._

"_If anything goes wrong or you're in danger, ring the bells and I'll find you. I will find you, no matter where you are."_

_The promise in those words set in her heart, the way he said it, and she couldn't help the small smile that formed on her lips as she nodded. Her brothers would always protect her._

"_Good."_

_Itsuki wrapped her up in one more hug, clutching her small form tightly. _

"_Remember to be careful Chitose."_

_She nodded into his chest, fistfuls of cloth clutched in her fingers. When he released her Mutsuki had drawn closer, sorrow evident in his face. _

"_Mutsuki…what's wrong?"_

_She touched his hand, unusually icy and cold and held it in hers. _

"_Mitsuki," _

_He shook his head, brown hair hiding his face from sight. He suddenly reached down and hugged her, something about it unsettling her. He released her before she could question it, noticing now that they both hesitated._

"_We need to go now Chitose," _

_Mutsuki said gently, turning toward Itsuki who had grown suddenly silent, and took his hand. Chitose watched them leave, too aware of the odd way Mutsuki's dark eyes stared at her before he turned away. Chitose was left to stare at the door after they left. For reasons she couldn't place, she felt…sad._

_Her heart ached- so much she felt a small tear roll down her cheeks. The loneliness set in and she went to the closet that held her diary. She always had her diary and left it in the last place she hid, which had been said closet. She didn't know when she'd see her brothers again so she flew towards the closet, her body curling in on herself and falling asleep, the darkness pacifying her anxious mind._


	3. Keys and Festivals

B. 123 Aw thank you! I really appreciate your reviews! You do have a point, they don't really go into depth about Chitose's character, but she's very impressionable which is why I think people like her so much. That and it leaves enough to the imagination. I know people write stories of her, but they're not in depth enough for me. I'm also glad it's not confusing! If it ever does get confusing let me know, I've never hopped from past tense to present tense like in this story.

Oh, and I was thinking of doing bonus chapters that have all the endings from Chitose's point of view. Like the normal one, the one where Mio gets blinded and such.

* * *

The festival and ceremony were something Chitose knew of, but barely told anything of. The thought came to mind because she knew it would be happening again soon, it often did around this time of the year, but she never attended.

Itsuki was fine with that decision, as he himself wasn't very fond of it himself. Her brothers had told her once that beautiful red butterflies protected the village, keeping it safe and acting as guardians, and that the butterflies were spirits of special people who once lived in this village.

She wanted to know more, because she still didn't understand how it worked or how they became butterflies. Whenever she asked Itsuki would suddenly grow sad and turn away, while Mutsuki would also grow sad but give her a gentle smile, saying she would find out when she was older. She wished she were older so she could know now. There seemed to be a lot of things she didn't know or understand.

She frowned, hugging her diary to her chest as she sat in her room, settling down with some ink and a pen and began writing.

_Itsuki gave me some little bells._

She had to write slowly and carefully, holding her face mere inches from the paper so she could see what she was writing.

She knew she had bad eyesight, but accepting it would mean accepting the fact that she could never properly see. Itsuki had said the diary was for personal reasons so she decided to let the small red book know of her dilemma.

_It's because my eyes are bad and I keep going to dangerous places. Itsuki said that if I rang the bells, he would come and help me._

_He said he would come even if I was hiding, or crying._

She squinted at her lettering, closing the red diary with a gentle thud and placing it on a nearby table. Her bells rang ever so slightly, but not enough to cause a lot of noise. She'd have to be careful to not rattle her wrist so much so her brother wouldn't think she was always in danger. Chitose touched the item, the sad feeling still lurking and consuming her thoughts. For some reason she couldn't help but think of Mutsuki. He had left after that day…

His last expression haunted her memory, her mind telling her that there was something wrong. She refused to listen to it. Nothing was wrong, everything was fine! Mutsuki...he was exploring the world…Right?

_Chitose gazed at Itsuki, confusion and curiosity begging her to find the answers of what happened to her brother's hair. His beautiful silk black hair, like that of hers and Mitsuki's, was now a ghostly white. At first she accused her poor eyesight of playing tricks on her, a slight chill flaring inside her at the thought of her vision worsening. But no, here one of her brothers' stood, unusually quiet and pale as a ghost from what she could see. _

_"...Itsuki," She murmured, fear leaking into her voice._

_She repeated his name once more, not needing to say anymore; he knew his little sister all too well. She stood from where she sat and walked to him, the bells around her wrist jingling slightly. _

_With a small hand she reached and held one of his, not noticing how he flinched at the sudden contact. His hand felt so cold, like he had been outside for too long in the snow and his hands looked slightly red. Even with her bad eyes she could've sworn she saw colored marks decorating his neck. Itsuki simply stared off at the nearest wall, avoiding her gaze._

"_It's okay Itsuki. Please, tell me what's wrong." Her eyes grew big, tears about to fall at seeing her brother so upset and not getting any answers on his sudden change in appearance._

"…_Chitose," Itsuki spoke, unnaturally calm and free of emotion compared to his normal self. "Mutsuki has…gone away for a while."_

_She attempted to look him in the eyes but he continued to look away, tears already rolling down her cheeks. _

"_What-what do you mean away?" _

"_Just away, like a vacation, or a trip. He wanted…to see things beyond this village." Itsuki never lied to her. Chitose clutched his hand, tugging lightly. "I-No, Mutsuki wouldn't just leave like that, n-not without a proper goodbye!" _

'_He'd never lie to me,'_

_Why would her brother leave just like that? Why? He wouldn't! He couldn't! He'd never leave Itsuki and her here while he went away!_

"_You're not telling me what happened to him," She accused, balling up her hands and rubbing the tears away from her face. _

'_Itsuki…'_

_Her mind was desperate to know what happened, remembering the last time she had seen him. The way he stared at her haunted her mind and she was frantic to see him again; Chitose didn't want that to be the last image of him in her mind. _

"_He can't have gone away Itsuki, he couldn't! He was happy here, with us!"_

_Itsuki's shoulders shook at that sentence, causing Chitose to stop. It took her a moment to realize that he was crying. _

"_I-I'm sorry…" She sniffed, trying to meet his gaze. He didn't avoid it this time and she could finally see the sadness in them, how far away and distant he was. "It's okay," She wrapped her thin arms around his waist, clinging to him as he cried. Her bells rang slightly when she moved. Tears rolled down her face at seeing him so upset and hurt. It tore at her heart in unpleasant ways to see someone she cared for so sad. "It's okay, Itsuki,"_

_She could do nothing but cry along with her brother. Mutsuki was missing. He had been missing. She knew by how her brother was actin;, she just knew he wasn't on a simple trip, but she couldn't bring herself to believe it._

Chitose sat up so fast her mind spun, tears rolling down her face and she sobbed. "Mutsuki, come back!" She cried, her voice filling the darkened air around her. Nightmares seemed to plague her more than usual lately, leaving her shaking in the middle of the night. She had resorted to sleeping in the closet a few times to avoid the disturbing nightmares of people she knew, of the darkness that took her mind in her dreams. It felt so real, so terrifying, and she sobbed as she left her room, wanting to get away from it all.

Her bare feet were chilled by the cold wood, the hall creaking beneath her tiny feet as they took her to where she longed to be. Carefully she pushed aside the door and peered in, squinting as she attempted to see the form of what she searched. Her gaze rested on his white hair, prominent even within the darkened room and sticking out from a blanket.

A single candle was lit to allow a little light. The house was dark even when the sun was high, only allowing a few rays to pass through, so candles were often left lit until they burned away. Itsuki and Mutsuki's bed was so large with only one of them there. She couldn't help but think how lonely Itsuki looked, laying by himself.

Chitose moved closer and pulled the blanket down a bit, crawling under it and snuggling next to him. It felt odd. She usually slept between the two of them when she slept with them, and now...

'_It feels so empty. Mutsuki…please come back.'_

She shut her eyes against the thoughts, an aching in her heart from her missing brother. She snuggled closer to Itsuki, who stirred enough to wrap his arms around her, which she gladly snuggled into. The last thing she heard before falling asleep was Itsuki mumbling, saying how he'd never let this happen to Yae and Sae. She didn't realize what he meant until that day finally came.

"_I-Itsuki, but-"_

"_Please Chitose, I need to help them. I promise nothing bad will happen."_

_He always kept his promises, so she believed him._

"_I-I don't know…I don't know if I can do this," She mumbled nervously, eying the key with suspicion. It was nothing but a key, yet it felt heavy in her hands. Itsuki pleaded with her to give it to a friend of his while he went to help Yae and Sae._

"_You're going to get in trouble Itsuki! Please, stay here!"_

_All she knew was he wanted to help the Kurosawa sisters escape this village because their father was cruel. How could a father possibly be cruel? Parents are supposed to care for you! She knew this despite the fact that she knew nothing of her parents, but her brothers took care of her in so many ways…_

_How could someone be cruel? She didn't understand…_

"_Please…please stay here…" She wrapped both her hands over his arm, clinging to his wrist and pleading at him. "They'll just get you in trouble!" She wanted him to stay here so nothing happened. One brother had already left, if she lost the other one…_

"_Please," She choked out, eyes full of tears._

_Itsuki knelt beside her and pulled her into a hug, running his hair down her short black hair. "I promise everything will be okay, Chitose. Trust me."_

_She did trust him, and after a bit she finally relented, unable to say no to him. He rarely asked anything of her and when he did, she knew it was important. _

"_His name is Ryozo Munakata. He's a dear friend I've been writing letters too and he plans on coming to see the village soon. When the right time comes I need you to give this to him." He indicated the key she had, placing a hand on her head. _

"_It's very important Chitose."_

_He smiled, but she couldn't find any reason to. He was going to leave her for Yae and Sae. He was always pulled away by the two, Sae especially. She had met the sisters once or twice but never more than that. She wasn't too fond of Yae. Her jealousy flared, angry that they were pulling her brother away from her. _

_Chitose didn't want to help but she would, only because he asked her too. His eyes were still sad, ever _

_since Mutsuki had left, and she had grown increasingly worried. Her brother acted more and more different every day, sadder, more careful of what he did. It was as if there were more to it, more to this picture, like she was being kept in the dark._

'_Always in the dark, because I'm a child...' She thought glumly._

_She feared him leaving like Mutsuki, which was what pushed her to say yes to his request. Maybe if she did what he asked he'd be happier, he wouldn't leave and Mutsuki would come back. _

_She let him tie the key to her gift, the key to his room, now hanging loosely on her crimson bell bracelet. It rang in the air, the beautiful chimes music to her ears and she squinted at Itsuki. It felt darker than usual, as if the village had been overcome by something sinister, an ominous feeling hanging in the air._

"_Promise me Chitose; promise me you'll try to get it to him."_

_She understood the hidden message. He wanted her to actually interact with someone, not run away and hide like she normally did. _

"_I-…" she couldn't do it, but she had to try…_

"_I-I'll…try…" Her face heated at the thought, her fear of socializing seeping in. Itsuki wrapped her in another hug and pulled her to him, for once smiling a sincere, bright smile. "Thank you, thank you so much Chitose." And for once, Chitose felt that everything would be alright, that everything would finally start getting better._


	4. Secrets

Helllooo and here is another chapter! I'm trying to keep everything as organized as possible and in the correct time frame without making it sound rushed! This was my iffy chapter as everything starts coming into play here, and while I realize what's going on I had to write from a point of view of someone who doesn't know and has little understanding. So let me know if it mentions too much or anything! Or if I mess up.

B.B. Wolf123 I'm glad it isn't confusing! I've been trying to make it a bit longer but this one came out a bit short. I wanted to add more but then I like how it came out, so I decide to leave it alone

Chitose sat in the closet, diary clutched in one hand and an inked feather in the other. She finally had the time to write. A candle lit up the small enclosed space, allowing her to see and squinted, beginning to write down her thoughts.

_The day after the__ceremony, my brother__Itsuki__came back alone._

_His black hair was white!_

_Where has my other brother__Mutsuki__gone?_

_Since Mutsuki disappeared,  
Itsuki doesn't want to talk._

_He is still nice to me, but his eyes are always sad._

She frowned at her words, the diary held close to her face as her pale fingers held tightly to it. She shouldn't have let them leave that day…

She should have begged them to stay, to stay there with her where she could keep an eye on them. Though she was the younger sister she watched out for her older brothers, making sure they were always there.

"_Mutsuki…"_

_What happened on the day of the ceremony?_

"_Itsuki…"_

"_Chitose?" Her head rose at her name, knowing very well who it was. "Itsuki?" She called, going to the door to peer out of the closet. Itsuki met her gaze, his eyes dull._

_Chitose swore he looked terrified for a moment. Like- like he had lost something...His eyes seemed to lighten when he spotted her though._

"_I-Itsuki? Are you alright?" _

_She knew asking was completely pointless as he instantly shook his head, white strands falling over his face to hide his expression. She couldn't help but notice how sad he looked…skinnier as well. Was he eating?_

"_No, actually- I mean I'm fine but-"He faltered for a moment before continuing. "Would you like to sleep in my room tonight, Chitose?"_

_Her expression brightened at the question and she nodded, gladly accepting his invitation. She always loved sleeping in her brothers' room. _

"_Of course I would!"_

_Chitose crawled from the closet, candle blown out and diary still in her hand and went to Itsuki's side. She tried to see his face, certain she had caught signs of tears threatening to spill and went to take his hand. It felt so very cold and she grasped it tight to give him warmth, squinting up at him with dark eyes. She wanted to make sure he was alright but he wouldn't open up. He had been so closed lately…_

_They went to Itsuki's room and curled up, Chitose snuggled into his side. Now she could clearly see the dark circles resting beneath his eyes and how pale he looked. She didn't need to squint to see how different he looked. _

'_I promise Itsuki…I'll give Ryozo the key just like you asked, and then, everything will be better…'_

_Itsuki shifted and opened his eyes, finding his sister staring at him and looked away._

"_Itsuki…"_

"_It's nothing Chitose, I'm fine."_

_He caught her before she could ask. He knew too well what she wanted. It was the only thing she had been questioning him about lately. _

_She frowned. "You don't seem fine. Your hair…it's so white now. And you look tired and sad all the time."_

_Itsuki shook his head. "I'm fine Chitose. My hair is white now but I'm fine. It's probably your eyesight playing tricks on you. You know your eyesight isn't good." He protested, a hurt look crossing the girls face._

"_I __**do not**__ have bad eyes. I-I can see perfectly fine…" She muttered, a glum expression falling on her face._

_He often said her eyes were bad but never so harshly. She flinched when he said it, cowering into his side and hugging his kimono. She didn't want her eyes to be bad. The thought scared her that it could get worse. Tears stung her eyes and she wiped at them, a bit shocked that her brother reacted so badly to her worries. Something was wrong but he just wouldn't tell her…_

_Itsuki rolled onto his side, wrapped an arm around her and pulled her to him, allowing her to hide her face in his chest._

"…_I'm sorry Chitose." He whispered, clinging onto her. "A lot has happened lately…"_

_She waited but he didn't speak again and she frowned into the front of his kimono. _

"_You're not going to tell me," She concluded, her voice muffled by the cloth material. _

_He didn't respond, instead hugging her tighter. _

"_It's nothing you need to worry about. Let's go to sleep, okay?"_

_Chitose agreed despite her curiosity, not wanting to push him further. Still, if Itsuki would tell her what's wrong, she could help him. Itsuki would never lie to her, but he wasn't telling her the truth. He avoided her so much lately. Was it because she was questioning him so much? She just needed to know so she could help. She fell into a nightmare filled sleep, unable to help think something bad was going to happen._

Chitose ran into her room, her eyes bloodshot and red from all the crying she did. Itsuki had given her one task and she messed it up, unable to show herself to the dark-haired male. The key sat on her wrist still, aware that Itsuki had made her promise she'd try. She tried, she really did, but she couldn't do it!

Her hands dug into her arms, hunched over as she hyperventilated. She saw him, Ryozo, looking around their house. Itsuki had shown her his picture so she wouldn't be frightened and know to give him the key. "I'm sorry Itsuki, I'm so sorry!" She bawled, hoping he wouldn't be disappointed. Her heart beat quickly and her breathing hitched, unable to cope with the attacks her shyness gave her.

_Chitose hung away from the door, clutching her kimono with her left hand and shook the right, constantly checking to make sure it was still there. She gazed ahead, listening as the footsteps drew closer._

_Itsuki __told me to hold the __key __for his room._

_He said I can't let anyone go in there._

She had become a bit excited at having such an important job that she forgot of her shyness for a while, wanting nothing but to please Itsuki. She wrote of it in her diary, too excited to keep it hidden.

_He said if his __friend __comes, _

_to give the key to his friend._

_I am so happy that he gave me such an important job!_

_The footsteps drew closer and closer, louder and louder and her heart beat just the slightest bit faster. She waited patiently and pulled her bell bracelet off, examining the key to her brothers' room with nimble fingers. She was supposed to give this to Ryozo and she would. She absolutely would. Chitose finally saw him, tall and dark haired- stepping into the long hallway when she suddenly felt terrified._

_His eyes instantly found her and he smiled gently; Itsuki must have told him about her. She clutched the key in her hand so hard it hurt, an awful feeling overcoming her as she squinted at the new man. She barely registered what had happened when she ran, taking off so quickly she stumbled a few times and ran for the closet crying._

'_I can't! I can't!' She thought hysterically.' I can't- I tried-! I'm so sorry I just can't do it!_

_She squished her frame in the corner of the closet, gasping for breath as she heard the man walk through the house._

"_Chitose…?"_

_She slammed a hand over her mouth and tried to get into the corner more, cowering in the comforting darkness. The bracelet was held tightly in her hand so the bells wouldn't ring, berating herself for not being able to give the item to the man._

'_I'm so sorry Itsuki-!'_

_The man called a few more times but she wouldn't answer. She __**couldn't**__ answer._

_She sobbed silently in the closet. Itsuki had given her one job and she couldn't even do that. He would most certainly leave now, he'd been so sad lately._

_She clutched her diary to her, having left it in the closet again along with an ink feather pen. She often left it here nowadays; she was in here more than anyplace else._

_Itsuki's friend came to the house._

_I was scared so I hid._

_I couldn't give him the key._

"_I'm so…so sorry." She murmured, curling her knees and wrapping thin arms around them. She for sure disappointed her brother. 'Please Mutsuki, come back. Itsuki is so sad and I miss you so much…'_

_She heard the man leave and stayed in the closet, clinging to her diary and waiting for Itsuki to come back._

Itsuki ran into the room suddenly and Chitose jumped, already moving to run for the closet but he was quick to get to her.

"Chitose!" His hands grasped onto her shoulders, a frenzied look in his eyes. She flinched away and hoped he wouldn't notice the key still on her wrist, shifting her arm slightly behind her. "Itsuki? W-What-"

"I'm sorry, I don't have long," He interrupted and her forehead creased in worry.

"Did you help them?" She asked slowly, a hint of anger beneath her tone.

Chitose secretly hoped he did not, not wanting her brother to get in trouble for helping the twins escape. To her dismay he nodded, looking down the hall frantically before meeting her eyes again. "I-I have to go for a while. I'm afraid they found out I helped them." Her eyes widened at him, worried tears beginning to form.

"I-I told you not to help them! What's going to happen? I don't want anything to happen to you!" She clutched onto his hand and pulled

"Let's hide! You can't get in trouble if they can't find you!" She yanked him towards the closet but he pulled from her grip, meeting her gaze.

"I don't want you to get in trouble too, Chitose," Itsuki ran a hand through her hair and smiled. "I'm just going to be locked in the storehouse. Everything will be alright. I just wanted to see you before it happened so you didn't worry."

"But…Itsuki…."

"It will be alright." He murmured gently, the sadness leaving his eyes for the briefest of seconds. Even so something felt wrong.

"Itsuki I have to tell you something. The key I was supposed to give the man-Ryozo - I-" A slam from the front of the house caused her to jump and she looked over at Itsuki. His expression was calm, calmer than it had been in the past few days and she touched his hand.

"Please… don't go…" She wrapped her small hands around his, indicating for him to follow her to the closet. He appeared heartbroken and looked at her carefully. It reminded her too much of the last expression she saw on Mutsuki's face and wondered if Itsuki would disappear just as he did.

"Please," Chitose begged louder, pulling just the slightest bit harder.

"…I'm sorry. I need to." He knelt down and hugged her tight. Everything about his demeanor screamed for her to stop him, though she didn't know why. He looked so pale, like a ghost. Did it have something to do with Mutsuki? She saw the mark better now that she was closer to his neck, unable to help the thought that it looked like a crimson butterfly.

'_The butterflies he told me guard the village...'_

"Please, are you sure Itsuki?" Another slam on the door, hard enough that it shook and she cringed into her brother, hiding her face in his neck.

"Everything will be okay." He assured and pulled from her. Her eyes were glassed and tears running down her face now, her eyes pleading for him to agree. But he didn't. He shook his head and pushed her away, towards the closet even as she tried to keep his hand in hers. They both heard the front door slam and she spent one last look at him before she ran for the closet, not wanting to deal with angry villagers. She could hear them storm in, their angry voices filling up the normally silent house.

"Do you have any idea what you have done!?" A man shouted. He sounded mad but she could hear the desperation in his voice.

"You have doomed us all" Another voice spoke, and many others began filling up as well. She slammed her hands over her ears and cried silently, not understanding why Yae and Sae leaving was such a big deal. She was afraid to be found. One person was terrible enough, but a group…

"We have found Sae but we can't find Yae," someone spoke up, interrupting her thoughts. Fear was clearly evident. "What do we do? They are the only twins left in the village! They were the ones to use in case the first two failed!"

'_The first two…?' _Chitose thought, on the verge of hyperventilating. She didn't understand…Were the first two..? But, what were the twins used for?

Her brother remained silent through all of this, the villages too panicky to slow down.

Chitose slide the closet door open just the slightest to see what was going on. Five villagers stood in the room, and though she knew they were angry they seemed more terrified than anything. They kept muttering about the ceremony and how it wouldn't work, but that they were going to try and use just Sae.

"Yae, why did you leave…?" A man murmured, turning to the person next to him.

"Bring him. He will be locked away as punishment. We have more important things to worry about."

Itsuki went without a fuss and their eyes met briefly before he was pulled towards the front door, leaving Chitose alone inside the house. It felt so alone now, empty and eerie. She sniffed and crawled whens she was sure everyone was gone, her journal clutched to her chest as she began sobbing.

"I told you not to help them! I told you!" She couldn't find it in her to be angry, too unnerved by everything happening that she didn't understand. Chitose made her way for her brothers' room, curling herself in their blankets as she imagined them lying on either side of her and cried.

'_Itsuki…Mutsuki….' _

She sniffled, clutching the blanket to her and falling asleep. That was the last time she saw Itsuki.


	5. Nightmares

It said the Chitose was taken by the darkness or starved to death, so I went with the former. Her story is sad enough and I don't like the sound of her starving to death. Sadface D8

I really hope you enjoy this! I read it over a billion times and kept fixing things so I had to stop before I just rewrote the whole thing.

_Both inside and outside are pitch black.  
Nobody is in the __house, but I feel a presence._

_"It-s-..."_

She begged that name to come to her, the one person keeping her grounded. That was when she realized all the noise were people outside screaming and shouting. A small thud sounded from the front door and she cringed away into the nearest corner, huddling her small form into a ball. Even in such dire circumstances she feared interacting with people.

"_It-su-ki..."_

Her right arm lifted in front of her, forgetting a moment that her brother had given her bells for situations such as this. For when she needed help or when she was lost. The bells sparkled even in the blackness and chimed wonderfully, a pleased smile forming on her lips. He would save her; he promised.

_"Itsuki..."_

Yes, that was the name she was searching for.

She waited patiently, eager eyes awaiting his arrival. He would come. He would. He had always been there and that would not stop now. She whispered comforting thoughts to herself to stay calm, even as the screams outside rose higher.

'Someone must have dropped a candle in their house again.' She laughed humorlessly at the idea, her eyes dull. Fires were common here with all the candles around. Chitose pretended she didn't hear the true terror behind those screams. Nothing could be wrong...Right?

_'Right.'_ She answered her own question instantly, refusing to stray toward negatives.

Itsuki would come for her. But, Yae...He was in the storeroom locked away because of her. Could...could he get out? What if he didn't, he'd never be able to-

"No! He's coming for me! He is! Itsuki will always help me!" She protested loudly, keeping her chin up. She lifted her hand and let the bells that graced her wrist chime. Her blurred gaze tried to focus on anything, but the black was so thick; so very, very thick. She thought of the moment the darkness had come, seeping in through the house with unrelenting determination to touch every corner.

'_Itsuki.'_

_She stared at the wall, clutching her kimono and thought of Yae. Yae had run away but Itsuki had been locked up at the price of it. The thought of him imprisoned grabbed her heart and she glared at her feet._

"_I told you not to help them! I told you it would get you in trouble!" She yelled._

_She was angry but didn't know where to direct it. Certainly not her brother; she could never be angry with him._

'_It's Yae's fault,' someone whispered. She ignored it. _

'_Mutsuki, I wish you were here…'_

_She sniffed, angry tears pouring down her face when the candles went out. It surprised her and she let out a small gasp, the darkened room somehow filling her mind with tainted thoughts. She squeaked and stepped back, the room darkening further. Something wasn't right…_

"_It-Itsuki?" She felt the Earth shake lightly, hesitating near a wall when it did. It rumbled louder, the floor beneath her shaking and she fell, her bells ringing loudly. Tears formed in her dark eyes and she tried not to panic. _

_The closet was too far her. She clutched her diary against her chest as she warily backed away. She was glad she hadn't left it in her last hiding place. The darkness reached for her, surrounding her from all sides. Screams wandered in from outside, people yelling about the ritual failing. She squinted into the dark trying to get her bearings._

'_Ritual? What ritual?' Chitose thought unsteadily, her thoughts swirling. She'd heard of a ceremony but…a ritual…?_

'…_I don't understand.' Was the only answer her mind could offer, and she stifled a sob._

_What was going on? What did they mean the ritual failed? What ritual? What were they talking about? A small cry when the darkness grew thicker, more visions swirling in on her mind. She couldn't help the bad thoughts when it touched her, as if it were poisoning her with evil. It certainly felt evil. She remembered the cupboard and ran for it, unable to get herself to the closet. It was so many rooms away for her long and thin legs. _

_A piece of her attire snagged on a piece of wood, tearing her lovely outfit. She threw her body into the wooden structure, fragile arms slamming the door shut. She curled herself up in the corner and for a moment she was overwhelmed by the safeness it provided. _

_It only lasted a few moments. They kept coming. The darkness fogged her mind and filled it with images she begged to stop. Her brother, hanging from his neck; a body falling into a black abyss, butterflies franticly scattered and flying about before a dark cloud overcame them and two twins who looked all too familiar hanging in a hallway._

"_Akane? Azami…?!" _

_She cringed away, shutting her eyes and slamming her hands over her ears. No, no they weren't dead. This wasn't real. Akane was safe in her home and Azami was…_

_Azami….was…._

…_.She didn't know where Azami went, just like her brother…_

_Voices…_

_There were so many voices…_

"_Somebody…"_

'_Why do you kill?' A small voice whispered in the darkness._

"_It…su-"_

'_Don't…kill…' Another voice, the same but different whispered afterwards. She shook her head and pretended she didn't know the voices._

"_Please, help me…"_

'_Dear sister…are you leaving me again? 'Someone laughed, a terrible scream sounding after it._

_Chitose cried at the voice, unable to place where she had heard it before._

_She'd sat in that cupboard a while before finally remembering the bells, too lost in fear to remember her brother would help. That particular moment a light shined within her, even at the circumstances around her, and she started ringing the bells._

From that moment she continued to shake the bells. She continued until they rang constantly, trying to push away the thought that Itsuki would have already found her by now. They rang again.

They rang louder and louder, so much she could hear each note that rang distinctly and how each ring sounded different from the previous ones. The way they rang when she shook them hard or gently taped them against her hand. The bells rang so much they filled her ears until she heard nothing but the once sweet chimes. She refused to let it settle, sure her brother was being swept up in the panic outside her house and that was the reason he was taking so long. She rang the bells louder not only hoping that her brother would hear her pleas, but so she couldn't hear the bloodcurdling screams that she could hear distinctly even through the walls that surrounded her. They had grown so loud. The darkness felt, if possible, darker than before, as if it wanted to overtake her.

"Itsuki..."

She mumbled quietly, the only name running through her mind; the savior who gave her the bells because her eyes were so poor, so he could help her when she neared something too dangerous. This was beyond dangerous, this was…she didn't know what it was.

He had to come save her. Chitose didn't know when the tears started coming, but they did. The crying turned into body wrenching sobs and left her nearly breathless, gasping as the blackness continued to suffocate her. The screams affected her so much, the pain that filled them. Yae had done this to the village, and to her brothers.

She snatched onto the thought of Itsuki, assuring herself that her brother would find a way to her. He'd open the door any moment now and smile down at her, murmuring small assurances that he'd be there always. Yae always came to her mind after some time. She swallowed a lump in her throat, torn by the anger and sadness she felt. _'How could you Yae? Why did you do this to us? No one deserves this, none of these people.'_

Chitose squirmed in the small space, haunting thoughts popping into her head; such terrible, and awful, _hateful _thoughts.

"Please…" She clutched her head in an effort to stop them.

_She hated Yae…_

'_But hate is such a strong word, I wouldn't say hate…'_

_Yes you would. Yae did this to your family. You have to hate her for what she did._

'_Maybe not hate…' _Chitose thought glumly, scooting further into her corner. The voice kept whispering to her.

'_You _hate _Yae. Hate her. Hate her. HATE HER.'_

"Please stop-! Itsuki-! Help me Itsuki!" She rang the bells and slammed her hands against the door, wanting to leave the cupboard but unable to find the will to leave the space. Screaming from outside gave her momentary pause, wondering if it really was such a good idea to go out while the villagers panicked. She'd surely be swept up in that panic and taken within the bodies fleeing here and there. The wood beneath her shook slightly, fear grabbing her again. Earth tremors were not normal here. Her hands balled into fists, pieces of her kimono gripped tightly in her fingers, the need to go searching for Itsuki torn by the fact that she was terrified. Her eyes were so sore from all the tears.

With a shuddering breath she placed her hands on the door to open it, finally gaining enough bravery to at least take a peak. Only it didn't move. She pulled a bit harder and it clunked in response, something preventing it from sliding.

"I must be opening it wrong," She assured herself, grabbing the other side and pulling it. Nothing happened. She began yanking on it, her hands tearing pieces of wood as she tried to pry it open. She sobbed when the only response was a knocking sound as it resisted her efforts, pieces of wood colliding into each other her only consolation. She slammed her hands along it and screamed, panic overtaking her. Her safety, the hiding place that acted as a security blanket now kept her detained within, the door refusing to budge. Outside the screaming became frantic. Her bells rang loudly in her ears and mixed with the voices she heard. They couldn't be blocked out no matter what she did.

A soft click was heard, like that of a doll and she screamed louder for her brother, her small voice cracking from the sudden abuse on her vocal chords.

'_Don't kill…'_

Itsuki...He wasn't coming. He was never going to come...

_'No! He will come! He won't leave you here!'_ Her mind tried to assure itself but she was already becoming lost. Tears rolled down her face, the only thing around to hear her cries for help the walls and the darkness.

She slammed harder on the door that left her blocked in, dragging her nails down the sides around her, leaving gruesome scratches everywhere. The underneath of her nails sore as she continued scratching, feeling her own blood staining the walls from the sudden abuse on her fingers. She cried loudly, hoping anyone who heard would come for her. Even in the chaos and panic she kept her hopes that Itsuki would come and set her free. Everything would be fine, it just had to be! He would come for her, they'd find Mitsuki and all would be good again!

"Somebody...help me... help me...its dark..."

She scrawled the words 'Help me' across one of the surrounding walls, pleading that the small chamber would let her go. She dragged her bloodied fingers across her diary, hoping someone would find it.

Chitose screamed louder when more voices filled her head, so many unpleasant images coming to mind when it did.

There were so many dead people…

"They're everywhere…"

She could feel them everywhere, the people who had already died whispering to her in the darkness and beckoning her with groans. So many…there were so many…

"They're everywhere…" She whispered and sniffled loudly, the area around her becoming darker. She continued dragged her nails across the walls.

"I'm scared...Itsuki...Help me... I can't get out... "

'_Make it stop…'_

She didn't understand. Why? Why was this happening? What had they done? What had her brothers, the people in the village...?

"It's dark...They're... everywhere..."

No one deserved any of this. Her mind refused to believe that anyone deserved this pain. The voices outside had grown louder, if that were even possible. Her eyes felt so heavy from all the crying, her body aching from all the sobbing. She shook the bells again to block it out.

_I'm so scared. I can't get out of the closet._

_Help me Itsuki!_

Maybe someone would find her journal, hear her pleading.

"It-su-..."

Her hoarse voice couldn't take it anymore.

She continued to cry, letting herself fall apart inside the cupboard. Her body curled in on itself as she thought of her twin brothers. What happened to Mitsuki? Where had he gone? What had happened to Itsuki's hair? So many questions and, for some strange reason Yae fell into her mind again. Was...was it her fault Mitsuki was gone? Anger burned through her. Yae had cause Itsuki to become locked away, who wasn't to say she was the reason for Mutsuki's disappearance?

It was all Yae's fault. Everything was. All of this was her doing. Chitose glared, hugging her bell covered bracelet to her chest. Yae was the reason none of them were happy; the reason why she was now trapped in a cupboard, that people outside were screaming and that one of her brothers were gone and the other locked inside the storehouse. The reason he couldn't come and save her from this predicament.

She continued to cry; tears of rage, sorrow, betrayal, and anger burning her poorly sighted eyes. Distantly the sounds of screams softened and left an eerie essence, only to be replaced shortly by a distant laughter. It made the blood in her body run cold, the heartless sound of it, the absolute insanity behind it. She couldn't help but think that laugh sounded so familiar and clamped her hands over her ears, mouthing both her brother's name repeatedly. Even within this darkness she had hope that he'd find her. She didn't know when but she eventually fell into the darkness.

A long and lonely laughter filled darkness where nightmares waited for her, a place where blood covered everything white, like snow being stained with bright red ink. Chitose felt pressure on her neck and had to breathe heavily to let oxygen flow in.

"Please, Itsuki…"

The darkness…

The ghosts grew larger, their cried tearing at her and mixing with those that had still managed to stay alive.

Was she even alive now? Or was she to suffer like everyone else?

It felt like someone was strangling her, slowly removing the life from her body. She felt it leaving, the pain of the shadows around her swarming in on her. Was she dying? Death couldn't be this painful…she was a good person and supposed to go to heaven with her brothers. She suffocated for eternity in that darkness unaware of how much time was passing. She was drifting further away, as if she were watching from someone else's point of view and watching herself fall to the darkness. Tears continued to leak, falling from her eyes as she called for her brother.

She heard a scream from nearby, a woman's voice filling the night but was stopped abruptly after a sickening thud. The last image that came to mind was a young woman with dark hair and a horrifying expression, her white kimono bright and bearing a red roped. A woman she had come to know so well... Those dark eyes met hers, the shy and sweet emotions that filled them now crazed. They locked onto hers even within the cold darkness and she laughed again at the girl's pain but Chitose was too far gone to react properly.

'_Sae…?' _She thought sadly as the vision swirled and she fell, the only thing she could think of was Yae and how she was cruel for causing all of this.


	6. Yae

I don't believe Chitose actually hates Yae, just that she wants something to blame. I thought a little one shot moment between the two would be cute. Especially since Yae and Sae were around her brothers a lot. I imagine they see each other at least a few times.

I do hope you like this chapter!

* * *

Mio scanned over the journal entry many times but she still couldn't handle the wave of emotions.

A lot of it had hit her hard and her eyes were raw from so much crying, and just when she thought she had it under control she was hit again.

'_I don't want to hurt her…'_

The girl snagged onto her skirt, lacing her fingers into the fabric as she sobbed. The cries were heart wrenching and pierced her eardrums

'_I'm sorry! I'm really sorry!' She thought desperately, raising he camera to fire at the young girl._

_GIVE HIM BACK! GIVE HIM BACK YAE! She had shrieked, her eyes pleading and boring into hers. The young woman could only stare at first, a heart broken expression falling onto her features. Chitose grasped her skirt with frail fists and tugged at her._

_This was all her fault, that stupid Yae! She had done this!_

_She was too young to notice the way the girls hair hung differently, how her hair was just the slightest shade lighter, or the different attire she wore. Most of all she went unnoticing of how different the two girls were despite similar characteristics._

_Chitose was too blinded to care. _

'_I just want my brother back…' _

Yae had the nerve to come back in her house

* * *

She ran into the room crying, tripping almost numerous times because of the darkness in the house. Yae kept finding her wherever she hid. First here in the cupboard, then now in the storage below the house. Chitose curled up her knees and hugged them, sobbing into them.

Less than a heartbeat passed by when that girl opened the door. She paled slightly and cringed into the corner, but when those eyes found hers anger filled her.

Her hands reached, arms stretched, and for a moment Chitose had her wrist in her hands. They tightened around her delicate wrist, to which Yae let out a gasp and tried to shake the smaller girl away.

Chitose clung to her and glared. She hated her... she had stolen her brothers and taken everything!

But then she didn't hate her...

She was so torn.

All her shyness melted away and she gave Yae her full heated stare. She hesitated under that stare, leaving Chitose unaware of the girl's confused gaze. It reminded Chitose too much of when they did see each other.

"Give me back my brother!"

She cried and scratched her fingers down the elders outfit, tearing a small piece of fabric on her shirt when she did.

'_I just want him back! Both of them!'_

Yae finally managed to push the crimson kimono girl away, leaving her to fall to her knees in an ungraceful display.

'_How could you Yae!? How can you hurt me like that!?'_

She just wanted Itsuki and Mutsuki back. Was there something so wrong with that? Was it bad to want peace and be with her brothers? She couldn't rest no matter what she did. She fell into the darkness over and over again, hearing so many voices speaking to her and filling her mind. Why…

Why is this happening…?

'_Itsuki, please…'_

'_Something keeps calling me. I always hear it now, calling to me from the Kurosawa house.'_

She stared at the girl, her clothes torn and dirty from the faint outline she could see. Her attire had been ruined long before that hole that decorated the side of her shirt.

The stick in her hand lightened the room faintly, an odd glowing candle that looked so strange.

Chitose stared at the girl and her strange form, crying constantly into her hands. Everything was blurred from her tears so she thought herself mistaken when she saw the girl raise the camera at her. What was a camera going to do?

Chitose inched towards Yae with determination.

'_She'll fix everything and we can be together again…'_

A flash and pain shot through her body.

An ear piercing scream, so loud she thought it was someone else's tore from her throat and she was pushed back. No not pushed, _forced_. What…

What was that?

Chitose clutched her kimono.

'_It hurts-!'_

Another flash.

'_Itsuki!'_

And another flash.

She screamed louder and fell, her vision fuzzy and her body sore in such a strange way from the device Yae carried. Yae…

Yae had hurt her!

How could she?!

She raised the camera again and Chitose cried loudly. She was kneeling on the floor, sobbing from all the pain. The shadows distorted around her and danced with her cries. The strange candle she carried flickered then went out and left the room in an inky darkness. Chitose cried even louder, reminding her too much of when she had become trapped in that cupboard and ran through the room. She wrapped her fingers on Yae's shirt and tugged, startling the older girl who jumped and spun around in a dizzying search. Chitose just kept clinging to her, the small area occupied. Then another flash came and she suddenly fell into oblivion.

* * *

Where was she…?

The cupboard?

No…

The closet!

Chitose shot up and threw her hands against the door, not seeing the way her hands fell through everything she touched. The floor barely held up her small form and she swore she was sinking through at times.

She couldn't be sinking…

She clutched her arms tightly and turned to look at the door that was being tugged on. It stayed shut. It was Yae again…

She glared and threw the door open. She fell forward and crawled away from the enclosing space and ran around the girl. She'd pay for this…

For stealing her brothers…

For ruining _everything!_

"Yae!" She wrapped her arms around the girl's waist and buried her face in her stomach. She was torn between wanting to run, the desire to set all her rage onto the girl and burying her head and crying into her shoulder like she used to do. Only a few times she had met the girl but they had bonded so quickly.

* * *

_Chitose ran screaming into the village, her wails reverberating off the walls and shooting back to her own ears. Itsuki had yelled at her! He never yelled at her!_

_Her face twisted in unease, remembering standing out in front of the Kurosawa's house. She had strayed too close to the water and nearly fell in. Both brothers chided her for not being careful with her bad vision and she screamed back, defending her eyes. They were waiting for Yae to come back from the neighbors and Sae stood awkwardly near the two brothers. She looked uneasy from what Chitose could see. Itsuki had been a little uneasy that day and suddenly went off on her._

_Tears stung her eyes and she immediately run. It was unusual for either of her brothers to yell at her. She ran past the bridge and through the large doors. They remained open unless something important was happening. She wa ready to fly up the steps when she ran head first into something soft and fell back. _

_Yae stood before her with a surprised look, blinking at the girl before her._

"_Chitose?" _

_The younger girl shook her head violently, her face burning red from the sudden embarrassment._

"_Chitose, what's wrong?"_

_Yae kneeled before her. Her hand reached out before it stopped, remembering the girl's painful shyness and pulled it back to settle in her lap. She had actually grown quite attached to the young girl. She was a sweetheart. _

_Chitose sobbed in response but managed to push herself into a sitting position. _

"_I-I-Itsuki…" She mumbled between breaths and rubbed at her eyes._

_Yae felt a bit daring and gently placed a hand on the girls shoulder. She flinched, an automatic response to people but made no indication to move away. She lifted her blurred gaze to meet Yae's, surprised at how gentle it was._

"_He-he yelled at me! He never yells at me!"_

_The girl I white nodded with understanding. "I'm sure he didn't mean to." She rubbed the girls shoulder, ignoring the stares they were getting for sitting in the middle of the walk space. Chitose shook her head again. If she was aware of the stares she was too upset to notice._

"_-But he never yells at me! And then he just-just- "_

_She sniffled loudly and rubbed her arms across her eyes, muttering about how the tears wouldn't stop."-Does he hate me now?! Did I do something bad to make him mad at me!?"_

_Yae shook he head immediately and lifted her finger beneath Chitose's chin. _

"_Your brother doesn't hate you. I promise." _

_Chitose stopped sobbing and looked at the older girl._

"_He was just worried. He cares about you a lot Chitose, and sometimes you can get into situations that make him worry like crazy. I promise he doesn't hate you."_

_The crimson clothed girl met the older girl's eyes. She had managed to get her shyness a bit under control with the Kurosawa twins since they were around her brothers a lot._

"_R-Really? He doesn't h-hate me?" She hiccuped, needing the assurance._

"_Of course not. You're too adorable for someone to hate!" Yae smiled and patted the girls head. "Why don't we go back? Itsuki is probably beating himself up over yelling at you by now!" Yae giggled and Chitose smiled, her eyes a little puffy from the breakdown she had._

"_Okay." _

_Yae went to stand but before she could Chitose wrapped her arms around her waist and buried her face into her chest._

_Yae froze a moment. She wasn't aware the girl could be so affectionate. Hesitantly she wrapped her own arms around the girl's frame, a warm feeling blooming within her. Chitose trusted her enough to actually hug her. It was rare enough to talk with her and now she was sitting with the girls arms wrapped around her. Her eyes felt a bit misty from the experience._

"_Thank you, Yae." Chitose whispered into her kimono. Her words were stifled against the cloth but she heard them._

_Yae smiled down at her and petted her hair and hugged her a bit tighter._

"_You're welcome Chitose."_

_They both stood and took each other's hand and together walked back to the people they loved the most._

* * *

Chitose slammed into the girl again but she couldn't make her drop the camera.

Yae would never hurt her…

But then a flash hit her again and she screamed. It tore from her throat and she felt herself falling again, her gaze burning through the older ones eyes.

'_I just want everything back the way it was…'_

_"Give me back my brother..."_


	7. Promise Ending

Honestly, writing all this was making me sad as hell so I did the promise ending first. Like I said before I love the idea of Chitose and Yae being close rather than hating each other. I can see them having a sisterly relationship if all this didn't happen. That's just e though. But bam! Here it is!

* * *

She cried in the cupboard. She cried in the closet. She cried everywhere, feeling the screams and cries of everyone else surrounding her. She wanted it to go away and never come back.

She wanted to be with the ones she loved most.

She wanted to be with Itsuki.

To be with Mutsuki.

She'd be okay with Yae too.

The pain lessened. It became so much easier to breathe. She didn't need to but she did, if nothing just to imagine the relief it brought.

She breathed again and the voices stopped.

Another breath and the pain turned to release.

Another breath and she finally stopped crying.

Chitose opened her eyes, peering through the light that now blinded her with vision. Her eyes so fuzzy and blind were now clear. A butterfly danced over her wrists, the bells chiming under its weight.

She could only stare at it wordlessly, entranced by the beautiful creature.

It fluttered around her head and landed on the cupboard door. Chitose felt a twinge of fear, remembering being trapped. She didn't want to try. She didn't want to find out she was still stuck in her. The crimsons sparkles glittered the air with light and the wings batted against her hands before returning to the door. The butterfly seemed determined.

"What if I get stuck again?" She asked gently, and to her surprise the butterfly answered back.

'_you won't. I promise.' _It spoke softly and Chitose stared at it.

"Sae…?"

The butterfly made a chiming sound similar to her bells in response.

"Sae- You-" What had happened?

It graced her hands again, but this time, Yae's voice sang from it.

'_I'm sorry. This was my fault…I shouldn't have run. I'm so, so sorry Chitose.'_

Then suddenly Yae was there, opening the door and smiling down at her with an apologetic look on her face. Sae stood behind her with a similar expression, blood decorating her kimono. The crimson butterfly danced from the cupboard and fluttered gently around the two twins. Their red chord was once more connected and held them close.

Chitose squeaked in fear at the sight of Sae's kimono, splattered in red that took the shape of half a butterfly.

'_Everything's okay Chitose. I promise.' _Yae murmured and took Sae's hand in hers. Sae looked ashamed, her eyes puffy, and slightly slumped as if carrying a burden.

Chitose's eyes felt watery. She still didn't understand. Part of her wanted to but then part of her didn't. She gazed at Yae, suddenly guilty.

"I-I'm sorry! I-I-I said such terrible things! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!"

Yae quickly shook her head and knelt next to the girl, pulling her into a hug.

'_No, this is my fault! You've nothing to be sorry for Chitose!'_

Chitose clung to her, feeling at home in the girls arms and clutching her kimono in her fists. "I missed you, Yae." She murmured, burying her face in her chest like she did so long ago. She finally stopped crying but continued to hug the older girl. She missed her. She missed Sae too. She just didn't realize how much she had. All that time in the darkness…

With the voices and scary vision filling her mind…

'_It's gone Chitose.' _This time Sae spoke, her voice so much like her sister's, yet so much softer and shy.

Chitose looked to her. She remembered seeing her so many times. Her lips twisted into an unnerving smile, messing with the bodies of people she had killed, and the pain of all those people surrounding her. She flinched at first when she reached for her. The stain in her attire, she vaguely noticed, was growing fainter by the second. The rope mark that decorated her neck could barely be seen now. Sae stood away, still nervous, but looked the crimson-clad girl.

'_I'm sorry. What I did- It can't be forgiven.' _She looked away and Chitose swore she saw hints of another girl in there.

Yae grabbed the girl's hand and shook her head. _'It doesn't matter anymore. What's done is done. Things are set right now, that's all that matters.'_

Yae stretched out her arm and Chitose took her hand, following them to who knew where. Everything was so light now, so painless, and so wonderful she didn't care where they took her. It was all gone. That was all that mattered. She smiled when they opened the doors to the Heave's Bridge, the most wonderful sight welcoming her.

Two twins stood before her, hand in hand, one with black silky hair and one with white. She ran for them. She didn't notice that the other set of twins had disappeared into the air. The only thing that remained of them was a red glitter tainting the air, and the butterfly joined the others in guarding the village while Chitose finally reunited with her brothers. Finally, everything was happy.


End file.
